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My old roommate called my new job a 'real education' and it stuck with me
We grabbed coffee in Portland yesterday, and she asked about my work at the plant nursery. When I described learning about soil pH and propagation, she smiled and said, 'That sounds like a real education.' It hit different because for years, I felt like I'd failed by leaving university. Now I'm actually building skills I use every day, and someone finally saw that as legitimate. Has anyone else had a moment where someone's comment totally validated your path after dropping out?
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blairm355mo ago
It's funny how the most real learning often happens outside a classroom. I've seen friends become amazing carpenters or chefs after leaving school, and their hands-on knowledge is deep in a way books can't teach. People finally give them respect when they see a finished deck or taste a perfect meal. That comment from your roommate cuts to the heart of that shift.
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evan_nguyen235mo ago
What's wild is how this changes how we see "smart." Suddenly it's not about test scores but about being able to fix a real problem right in front of you. That's a kind of smarts you can't fake.
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ross.sean4mo ago
Hey @blairm35, that hits close to home - watched a buddy crash out of college, then spend two years learning welding at a trade shop. When his grandpa saw the metalwork he'd done at their family farm, the old man just nodded and said, 'You actually know your shit.' That one look was worth more than any degree.
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